Bicycle lock

ABSTRACT

A bicycle lock which can be fastened to a bicycle without any special holding device and which secures the bicycle, the seat support, and the seat is provided. The bicycle lock comprises a) a housing ( 2 ) and a drum ( 3 ) that is rotatably mounted within the housing ( 2 ), b) a cable ( 4 ) that is coiled onto the drum ( 3 ) and is directed towards the outside through an opening ( 6 ) of the housing ( 2 ). One end of the cable ( 4 ) is fixed to the drum ( 3 ) while the other end thereof, which is directed towards the outside, supports a half-lock ( 5   a ) that is connected to the half-lock ( 5   b ) disposed inside the housing ( 2 ) and can be fixed there, c) a coil spring ( 7 ) that is arranged between the housing ( 2 ) and through which the seat support ( 1 ) is guided, and e) a fastening element for fixing the housing ( 2 ) to the seat support ( 10 ).

The invention relates to a lock for bicycles.

Prior Art

Bicycles are secured against theft with the aid of special locks.However, absolute security cannot be obtained; even the most stable andcomplicated locks can be opened by unauthorized persons with appropriateefforts. However, most locks offer good protection against spontaneoustheft.

In the German Laid-Open Specification DE 42 32 540 A1, a lock fortwo-wheeled vehicles (with the wheels one behind the other) isdescribed. The lock consists of a tubular container in which a centrallysupported drum is arranged and around which a rope is wound. One end ofthe rope is fastened to the drum so as to be undetachable. The other endof the rope supports a safety lock half. To lock it, the safety lockhalf can be inserted into a second safety lock half fastened to the topend of the container so as to be undetachable.

The disadvantage of this bicycle lock and all other known bicycle locksis that it is fastened—if at all—to the bicycle with a special holdingdevice and that the seat support and the seat connected with it are notincluded in the protection.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a bicycle lock which can befastened to the bicycle without a special holding device and with whichboth the bicycle and the seat support and the seat connected thereto aresecured.

This object is solved with an invention having the features of the mainclaim. Advantageous embodiments can be found in the subclaims.

EXAMPLES

The invention will be described in the following with reference to anembodiment, in which

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section through the bicycle lock accordingto the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a variation of the bicycle lock according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a bicycle lock according to the invention combined with arear light.

FIG. 4 shows a bicycle lock according to the invention combined with anacoustic signalling device and a transmitter.

FIG. 1 shows a bicycle lock 1 according to the invention which consistsof a housing 2 and a drum 3 that is rotatably mounted in the housing 2,a rope 4 which is completely wound around said drum 3. The housing 2 hasan opening 6 through which the rope 4 is guided outward. The rope 4 isfastened to the drum 3 with one end and supports a half-lock 5 a on theother end directed toward the outside, said half-lock 5 a can beconnected with the half-lock 5 b situated in the housing 2 and can befixed there by means of a safety lock (not shown).

The safety lock 5 is preferably configured as a combination lock whichis opened via a combination to be set. However, the lock 5 can also belocked and unlocked e.g. via a radio signal.

A coil spring 7 is arranged between the housing 2 and the drum 3, saidcoil spring 7 becoming tight when the drum 3 is turned and the rope 4 isbeing pulled out. When the load is gone, the coil spring 7 turns thedrum 3 back until the rope 4 is wound up or tightened.

The housing 2 has a centrally situated cylindrical opening 8 in which atube 9 is arranged. The outside diameter of the tube 9 corresponds tothe diameter of the opening 8 and the inside diameter of the tube 9corresponds to the diameter of the seat support 10.

The tube 9 is connected with the housing 2 so as to be resistant totorsion. This can take place as follows: on one end, the tube has atleast one nose 11 arranged on the periphery, said nose 11 engaging in arecess 12 of the housing 2 which corresponds to the shape of the nose.

The tube 9 is fixed on the seat support 10 to ensure a defined positionof the bicycle lock 1. In this embodiment, the tube 9 is fixed by a nut13 which presses the end slit over the length of the thread (not shown)of the tube 9 against the seat support 10 and in this way produces aforce-fit connection between seat support 10 and tube 9. At the sametime, the nut 13 presses the housing 2 against the noses 11 of the tube9.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tube 9 can be omitted and be designed as part ofthe housing 2. In this way, only a fastening element corresponding tothe thread and the nut 13 must be provided; this ensures the firmconnection between the housing 2 and the seat support 10. The connectionbetween the housing 2 and/or the tube 9 and the seat support 10 is notrestricted to the form shown, but can be accomplished by means of otherknown connecting elements. However, the use of tubes 9 has the advantagethat, by using tubes 9 having different inside diameters or inside crosssections, the bicycle lock 1 according to the invention can be adaptedto seat supports 10 of various diameters or cross-sectional shapes.

According to a further embodiment, the bicycle lock 1 according to theinvention is combined with a reflector 14. The position of the bicyclelock 1 on the seat support 10 and its defined position offer optimalprerequisites for the arrangement of a reflector on the bicycle lock 1.FIG. 3 shows the connection of the bicycle lock 1 of FIG. 1 with areflector 14. The reflector 14 consists of a transparent cover 15 whichis connected with the housing 2. Light diodes 16 which are supplied withpower by a battery 17 are arranged below the cover 15. The electricalconnection is made or interrupted by a switch 18.

According to a further embodiment (FIG. 4), the bicycle lock 1 accordingto the invention is combined with an acoustic signalling device 19 whichis activated when the rope 4 is cut. The signalling device is suppliedwith power by the battery 17 and is set in such a way that the acousticsignal sounds for about 30 seconds at such a volume that the signal isaudible for up to a distance of 300 m. In addition, the acousticsignalling device can be connected with a motion sensor (not shown)which already releases an alarm when the bicycle is subjected to acertain number of movements within a specific time.

A further embodiment of the bicycle lock according to the inventionprovides that the acoustic signalling device 19 is provided with atransmitter 20 which, as soon as the signalling device is actuated,transmits a corresponding message to the mobile telephone of the ownerand/or which sends a radio signal that makes it possible to locate thebicycle lock (and with it the bicycle) via locator systems such as,perhaps, GPS.

The reflector 14 is electrically connected to the safety lock 5 in sucha way that it can only be activated when the safety lock is not closed.This prevents the battery 17 from being discharged with the goal ofpreventing the release of an alarm.

The bicycle lock according to the invention can be designed in such away that its operation (the locking and unlocking of the lock 5;switching the reflector on; ending the alarm, etc.) takes place via aradio remote control, the remote control itself can be secured by a PIN.The advantage of this is that only the owner of the remote control isable to operate the bicycle lock 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

-   1 Bicycle lock-   2 Housing-   3 Drum-   4 Rope-   5 Lock-   6 Opening-   7 Coil spring-   8 Opening-   9 Tube-   10 Seat support-   11 Nose-   12 Recess-   13 Nut-   14 Reflector-   15 Cover-   16 Light diodes-   17 Battery-   18 Switch-   19 Signalling device-   20 Transmitter

1. A bicycle lock consisting of a) a housing having a centrallypositioned cylindrical opening sized to allow passage of a seat support)and a drum rotatably mounted in the housing, b) a cable wound on thedrum which is guided outward through an opening of the housing, wherebythe cable is fastened to the drum with one end, and on the otheroutwardly guided end supports a half-lock which can be connected withthe half-lock arranged in the housing and fixed there, c) a coil springwhich is arranged between the housing and the drum, d) a fasteningelement for fixing the housing to the seat support, e) a rear lightconnected to the exterior of the housing, and f) an acoustic signalingdevice connected to a battery and the cable, for producing an acousticsignal upon detection of a break in the cable, the battery alsoproviding power to the rear light.
 2. The bicycle lock according toclaim 1, characterized in that the fastening element for fixing thehousing to the seat support is formed by a tube which is arranged in theopening of the housing so as to be resistant to torsion, whose outsidediameter corresponds to the diameter of the opening and whose insidediameter corresponds to the diameter of the seat support and which isfixed to the seat support.
 3. The bicycle lock according to claim 2,characterized in that at least one of the tube and housing is fixed tothe seat support by means of a nut.
 4. The bicycle lock according toclaim 2, further including a tube having an exterior diameter sized tofit inside the cylindrical opening in the house and having a pluralityof inside diameters, corresponding to diameters of different seatsupports.
 5. (canceled)
 6. (canceled)
 7. The bicycle lock according toclaim 6, characterized in that the acoustic signaling device isconnected with a motion sensor for producing an acoustic signal uponreceipt of a signal from the motion sensor indicative of motion.
 8. Thebicycle lock according to claim 6, characterized in that the acousticsignaling device is connected to a transmitter which transmits a messagevia the alarm to the mobile telephone of the owner and/or transmits aradio signal which makes it possible to locate the bicycle lock vialocator systems.
 9. The bicycle lock according to claim 1, characterizedin that the bicycle lock is operated via a remote control.
 10. Thebicycle lock according to claim 1, wherein the engagement of the cablein with the half-lock in the housing prevents activation of the rearlight.